1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of communications and pertains particularly to methods and apparatus for recording, processing and using inputs from users.
2. Discussion of the State of the Art
In the field of communications, particularly mobile communications, information services have been developed that provide information about traffic, road conditions, location of local businesses and the like to requesting users operating from mobile communications appliances. Some of these services provide downloadable software applications that may be installed on communications devices to enable access and use of the services over a local wireless network.
Although users may access information by the apparatus and method described above, they typically must navigate to the application on their device, execute the application, and periodically refresh the information. Drivers must typically look at the screen to gather information and touch the screen to interact with it, both of which are unsafe while driving. Thus much manual intervention is required by the user in order to access and continue to receive the requested information while traveling.
More recently information and entertainment service companies have integrated communications and information-receiving components into automobiles. Examples include systems such as On-Star™ and Sirius XM™ and other Mobile Internet radio devices or mobile information terminals having integration to the automobile's electrical system, and in some cases the automobile's computer or engine control module (ECM). These mobile, in-dash information terminals are typically dedicated to a particular service and are adapted for one-on-one interaction between the service and the user of the service. Voice activation allows the user to operate these types of systems in a hands-free manner.
A problem with the information systems described above is that each subject and related information that is available to the user is separate from other subjects for which the system might provide information. For example, if a user's car breaks down, the user might ask the system for help. The system may respond by alerting third party services to respond to the request in a dedicated fashion. During that time no information is available regarding other subjects. The user must direct the system using voice for each service type available through the interface. Although in some cases similar information, such as real-time traffic density information and mapping information may be received together using one application and one request, the user would not get any other data that may not be related to the purpose of the user's request made through the application or terminal interface.
Therefore, what is clearly needed is a mobile communications system that provides information to the user from other users and integrated alert/reporting services and allows the user to submit real time information for use by the system to inform others.